THE BOTANISTS OF PHILADELPHIA. 229 



printed, and this was the origin of the American Iron Asso- 

 ciation. It continued under that name until 1864, when the 

 present designation, the American Iron and Steel Associa- 

 tion, was adopted. 



In 1861 Mr. Smith was elected President of the Phila- 

 delphia and Reading Railroad Company. He held this 

 position throughout the Civil War, and until his resigna- 

 tion in 1869. Since that time he has been interested with 

 various important enterprises. Mr. Smith has always held 

 a high position socially. In 1877, and again in 1878, he 

 was elected President of the Union League of Philadelphia. 

 Other similar honore have been conferred upon him. For 

 many years he has identified himself with the Botanical 

 Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences, in connection 

 with which he has done much active work. He has always 

 taken a deep interest in the Herbarium and has done much 

 to extend its usefulness to the working botanist by identi- 

 fying and studying the plants therein contained. 



CHARLES F. PARKER. 



Charles F. Parker * was born in Philadelphia, November 

 9, 1820. His mother dying when he was but an infant, he 

 was deprived of that stimulation and encouragement which 

 a mother alone can give. His father, being in humble 

 circumstances, was able to give him but a limited education. 

 Charles, as soon as he was old enough to be of any service, 

 was apprenticed to book-binding, his father having long 

 been engaged in that business. 



He remained in Philadelphia until about the age of 

 twenty-two years, when he went to Boston and engaged in 



* Proceedings of Academy of Natural Sciences, 1883, p. 260. 



